Controller



H. 0. JAMES.

CONTROLLER.

APPLICATION FILED MAR. 8. 1911.

1,3 2,003, Patentd Dec. 14,1920.

4 SHEETSSHEET l- WITNESSES: INVENTOR @zd/ /%rw2 Henry 0. James.

. ffllw u H. D. JAMES.

CONTROLLER.

APPLICATION FILED MAR. 8. IEJI7.

1,362 003 Patented Dec. 14, 1920.

4 SHEETSSHEET 2.

WITNESSES: INVENTOR M Q5 Hen/y D James H. D. JAMES.

CONTROLLER.

APPLICATION FILED MAR. 8. 1911.

1,362,003. I Patented Dec.14,1920.

4 SHEETS-SHEET 3.

J30 5 47 O 25 /Z 43 4/ 5 C) 0 ,0 o 34 I Z9 Z6 42 7 6 l \I l 'I 1355"71; fa 5 5 5 5 v WITNESSES: \NVENTOR 6M. Q5 )ZZJQnW Henry 0 James BY H. D. JAMES.

00M ROLLER.

APPLICATION FILED I'I1AR.8v I917.

WITNESSES:

Patented Dec. 14, 1920.

4 SHEETSSHEET 4.

INVENTOR flew/y D, James,

ATTORNEY UNITED STATES HENRY D. JAMES, EDGEWQOD PARK, PENNSYLVANIA, ASSIGNOR TO WESTING- HOUSE ELECTRIC AND MANUfACTURING CGMPAN'YQ A CORPORATION 0F PENN- SYLVANIA.

Application filed March a,

T 0 all whom it may concern Y Be it known that I, HENRY learns, a citizen of'the United States, and a resident of Edgewood Park, in the county of Adlegheny and State of Pennsylvania, have invented a new and useful Improvement in Controllers,-of which the following is a ranged in two rows and the members of the respective rows are arranged in staggered relation, that is, the several members of each row are disposed opposite to the spaces separating the pairs of members of the other row.

The several switches are controlled by a rotatable shaft whichcarriescam members of insulating material. The cam members operate to effectthe closing of the several switches in the proper sequence for completing the circuits of the motor in connection with which the controller is employed. The motor is accelerated by the operation of certainof the switches after the direction of themotor has been determined.

In one form of my invention, the switches are provided with latching members for'automatically retaining them in their respec tive closed positions after they have been actuated thereto by the corresponding cam members. An electromagnet is employed to control each of the latching members. Each of the cam members is arranged to engage the respective switch members in a single position ofthe controller. It is possible, therefore, to effect the immediate return of the various switches to their respective open positions upon a failure of voltage of the source of energy or upon the opening of the circuit of the. electromagnets.

In a modification, the cams are arranged to retain the switches in closed positions. Numerous other features will be discussed Specification of Letters Patent.

CUNTRULLER.

Patented Dec. ltd, 192d.

1917. Serial No. 153,394.

inconnection with the description of the construction and operation of the controller. in the accompanying drawings, Figure 1 is a side view, in elevation, of a controller constructed in accordance with my invention, a portion of the casing being removed. Fig. 2 s a plan view of the controller shown in Fig. 1, the cover being removed. Figs. 3,

l, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9 and 10 are views of details of the switching mechanism. Fig. 11 is a side view of a bar, for interlocking certain of the switches. Fig. 12 is a view, partially and actuating cam therefor. Fig. 13 is a view, Slmllfit'flOO Fig. 12, ofa switch that is controlled by automatic latching means. Fig. 1% IS a diagrammatic view of circuits and apparatus employed n connection with the arrangement shown in Fi 1. I

Referring particularly to Figs. 1 and 2, a controller 1 of the drum type comprises a casing 2 andend plates 3 and l. The end several switches of the controller are supported by, and insulated from, the bars 5. The movable portions of the" several switches, comprising contact members 8, are pivotally supported upon the bars 6 and insulated therefrom in a manner to be later described.

The movable portion of the controller comprises a shaft 9 that is provided with a handle 10. .(lam members 12, of insulating material, which correspond to the several switches, are mounted upon the shaft 9 and are spacedapart by suitable sleeves 13, also of insulating material. An accentuating device, for yieldingly retaining the shaft 9 and itsconnected parts in any position to which it may be actuated, comprises a notched wheel or disk 14 and a pair of pivotally mounted arms 15 that are adapted to alternately engage notches in the disk. The arms 15 are connected by a spring 16.

Reference may now be had to Fig. 12 in which certain parts of one form of switch-- ing mechanism are shown in enlarged detail. In the arrangement shown in this view, no mechanism is provided for retaining the switch in its closed position. In some cases,

in plan and partially'in section, of a'switch respective. pairs of cams 33.

all

this arrangement may be desirable. The

stationary portion of the switch, which is mounted upon the bar 5, comprises a bar 18 to which the stationary contact member 7 isdirectly secured. A strip 19, of substantially U-shape, rigidly clamps the bar 18 to the supporting bar 5. The latter is surrounded by a sleeve 20 of insulating material. A blowout coil 21 and an arc shield 22 are located adjacent to the contact members.

The movable portion of the switch comprises a pair of members 23 formed by punching and of substantially L-shape that are pivotally supported by a member 24:. The latter member is rigidly clamped to the supporting bar 6. The bar 6 is surrounded by a sleeve 20 of insulating material. The members 23 are spaced apart by suitable shoulder pins 24, best shown in Fig. 8, the outer ends of which are riveted to rigidly secure the members to each other.

The movable contact member 8 is secured to a member 25 which is pivotally connected to the members 23 by a pin 26 which extends between'the outer ends of the latter members. A member 27, which retains the member 25 in position relatively to the pin 26, has a rearwardly projecting portion which coacts with a pin 28 to limit the rotative movement of the member 25.

A spring 29, which bears, at one end, against the member 24, and, at the other end, against the inner end of the member 25, yieldingly retains the switch member in its open position and tends to retain the member 25 in such position that the member 27 is in engagement with the stop pin 28. A

roller 30, which is located between the side members 23, coacts with the projecting por tion 31 of a cam member 33 when the latter is rotated to effect the closing of the switch. As best shown in this view, the shaft 9 is of hexagonal cross-section and is surrounded by a spacing sleeve 32 which separates the When a controller embodying the form of switching mechanism just described is employed, the cams must be arranged to retain the switches in their respective closed positions after they have been actuated thereto throughout such portion of the path of movement of the controller as remains. The working portions of the several cams vary in extent according to the order in which the corresponding switch are closed. I

Reference may now be had to Fig. 13, in which a switching mechanism corresponding closely to that of Fig. 12 is illustrated. The principal difference between the arrangement shown in the latter view and that shown in Fig. 12 is the provision of electromagnetic latching means for retaining the switch in its closed position after it has eeaooa been actuated thereto by the corresponding cam 12.

The members 23 are supported upon a member 34 of substantially U-shape which is provided with integral portions conforming to the sides of the supporting bar 6. The member 34: is best shown in Figs. 3 and A. The member 3a is also provided with an integral inclined portion 35 which con stitutes a support for one end of the spring 29. A bar 35, which is rigidly clamped to the vertically extending bar 6, supports an electromagnet comprising a core member 36 and a COll 37.

An upright portion of the bar 35 supports a pivot-ally mounted armature member 38 having a hook member 39 for coacting with a pin a0 that is secured to one of the I Each of the cams 12 is arranged to en- "gage the corresponding switch 1n a single position or the controller. Continued en gagement between these parts is unnecessary because of the latching mechanisms. The projecting portion d7 of each of the cams 12 is so arranged that, when the cam is inverted with respect to the shaft 9, it is displaced by an angle of substantially 30.

By means of this arrangement, the several cams 12 may be identical and the controller may be arranged to have two operative positions for each side of the polygonal shai't.

In the present case, the controller may have twelve positions of 30 each, it being necessary only to invert alternate cams on the shaft in order that the projecting portions 47 may be displaced from each other by an angle of 30. The dotted lines at each side of the cam projection 17 indicate the position of the latter when the controller shaft occupies its preceding and succeeding positions, respectively. The dotted lines may also represent the positions of the projecting portions of other cams when the shaft 9 occupies its illustrated position,

Fig. 13.

Reference may now be had to Figs. 5 and 6 which respectively represent plan and edgewise views of one of the blowout coils 21. Each of the blowout coils embodied in the controlling mechanism of Figs. 1 and 2 is formed by winding a bar of flat copper upon one of its edges. The coil is then embedded in suitable insulatin material, such as cement, shellac or bakelite, in such manner that the body of the coil is completely surrounded by insulating material which also occupies the spaces between the respective turns of the coil. Each of the coils is provided with a central opening.

blowout coil constructed in the manner described above possesses several advantages. If the insulating material is of such nature that heat is readily conducted there by, the heat of the coil is dissipated more rapidly than is otherwise the case. The principal advantage, however, resides in the fact that it is practically impossible for the turns ofthe coil to be short circuited by arcs produced upon the opening of the switches.

A barASffoi preventing simultaneous actuation of a pair of the reversing switches, is illustrated in Fig. 11. The bar 418 appears, also, in approximately. the center of Fig. 2. The bar 48 is provided, at its end 4 portions, with slots 49 to provide lost-motion connections between the pair ofreversing switches. The bar 18 permits relative movements between the switches connected by it to such degree that either one of them may be closed but the simultaneous closing of the switches cannot occur.

Reference may now be had to Fig. 14, which is a diagrammatic representation of the circuits of an electric motor and a controller corresponding to that shown in Figs. 1 and 2 and embodying switching mechanisms similar to that shown in Fig. 13. An electric motor, the armature of which is indicated at 50, and which has a shunt fieldmagnet winding 51, is supplied with energy from line conductors 52 and 53.

A sectional starting resistor 54, which is in circuit with the motor armature, is controlled bya series of progressively actuated switches ,55, 56 and 57 which correspond to certain of the cam-actuated switches of the controller 1. the motor is controlled by reversing switches 59, 60, 61 and 62, which correspond also to certain switches of the controller 1. #1

A line switch 63 controls the connection of the motor circuit to the source of energy. A resistor 64, in circuit with the shunt fieldmagnet winding 51, is controlled by a switch 65. The circuits of the energizing coils 37 of the several electromagnets for controlling the latching mechanisms are connected in a circuit controlled by a push-button switch 66, a field-protective relay 67 and an overload relay 68. Only four of the coils 37 are shown. v V

To start the, motor, the handle 10 of the controller 1 is actuated in the desired direction from its inoperative or off position. The line switch 63 is en aged. b its corresponding cam 12 in the rst position of the magnet winding 51 to further accelerate the with the off position, the shaft being rop'osition, upon the release of the latching The direction of rotation of controller to effect its closing. A pair of the reversing switches, for example, switches 59 and 61, are closed, either simultaneously or successively, as desired, to com lete the armature circuit of the motor. he latter arrangement is preferable for the reason that the controllermay be actuated to its off position when the switches are open without. completing the motor circuit.

The accelerating switches 55, 56 and 57 are then closed in order to shunt the resistor 54% and thereby increase the speed of the motor. The switch is next opened to insert the resistor 64 in circuit with the shunt fieldmotor. Each of the severalswitches is retained in its closed or in its open position, as the case may be, by the latching mechanism shown in Fig. 13. The return of the controller to its off position may then occur without affecting the position of any of the switches. In case the motor is intended for operation in one direction only, the running position of the controller may coincide tated through an angle of 360 to accelerate the motor. 7

As previously described in connection with the mechanism of Fig. 13, each of the cams 12 engages its corresponding switch in a single position of the controller. It is obvious, therefore, that each of the switches may be'opened at any time after the corresponding cam-has passed to the succeeding mechanism.

To stop the motor when the controller is in its off position, it is only necessary to .open the push-button switch 66 and thereby deenergize the several magnet coils '37, whereupon the several switch'e'sare returned to their normal or open positions by the corresponding springs 29. The switches are opened, also, upon the operation of the overload relay 68, thus necessitating the operation of the controller from its initial position. The circuit of the coils 37 is open except when the field-protective relay 67 is closed, thereby insuring that the switches cannot be retained in closed positions unless the field-magnet winding 51 is energized.

It will be understood that the switching mechanisms embodied in the controller shown in Figs. 1 and 2 may correspond to that illustrated in Fig. 12. In this case, the controller shaft will be retained in its running position until it is desired to stop the motor. When the controller handle is returned to its off position, the switches are opened in an order inverse to that in which they were closed.

A controller constructed in accordance with my imention possesses numerous advantages. The arrangement of the switches in two rows to be actuated by a single revolulib till

ble member permits the controller to be shorter than is possible by arranging the switches in a single row. The arrangement of the switches in staggered relation with respect to each other permits the space between the switches or any'pair to be utilized in extinguishing arcs produced upon the opening of the switch disposed oppositely to such soace. The distance between switches in the same row is comparatively reat and thus a creepage path of maximum length is provided.

ploymen of electromagnets for rehe several switch members in operation provides a sim e and convenaeans whereby the controller may be returned to its normal position after the circuits have been completed and all of the switches may be opened substantially simultaneously by manually operable means or they may be opened automatically upon the occurrence of abnormal circuit conditions. The protective devices for controlling the circuits of electromagnets may talre the i orm either of low-voltage release and overload devices or field-protective relays for insuring that the field-magnet winding ofthe motor is energized. I

The switch members of the controller are so arranged that they may be "formed by punching or stamping.

The switch parts are so designed that they are more or less interchangeable. The switch members may be assembled in units and lzept in stock in order that they may replace similar units that are damaged or in need of repair.

The above and other advantages will be apparent to those skilled in the art to which my invention appertains. It is understood that numerous changes may be made without departing from the scope of my invention, as defined in the appended claims.

I claim as my invention:

1. ln a controller, the combination with a casing having a pair of end plates, of tour bars for spacing said end plates, two of said bars supporting stationary contact members and said other two bars supporting movable contact members and a plurality of cam members for actuating said movable contact members. 7

2. In a controller, the combination with a switch member and amovable cam member having a projecting portion for engaging said switch member to actuate it to an operative position, of means comprising an electromagnet and a latching mechanism controlled. thereby torretaining said switch member in its operative position when said projecting portion is not in engagement therewith, and manually operable means for controlling the energizing of said electromagnet.

3. In a controller, the combination with a plurality of switch members and actuating *means therefor, said means comprising a movable member and a plurality of cam members carried thereby for successively actuating said switch members to their re spective operative positions, of latching mechanisms for retaining said switches in said operative positions, electromagnets for controlling said latching mechanisms, and means for controlling the energizing oi aid electromagnets.

in a controller, the combination with a plurality of switches and actuatin cam for each of said switches, of a latching mechanism "for each of said switches, said mechanisms being operable independently of said actuating means, manually operable sw'tch, and electro-responsive means controlled in accordance with line voltage and the position of said manually operable switch for controlling said latching mechanisms.

5. In a controller, the combination with a plurality of switches and actuating means there-for comprising a movable member and a plurality of cam members carried thereby, of a latching mechanism for retaining each of said switches in operative position when said actuating means is not in engagement therewith, a manually operable switch, and electro-responsive means controlled in accordance with line voltage and the position of said manually operable switch tor controlling said latching mechanism.

6. In a controller, the combination with a plurality of switch members and means for temporarily engaging each of said members to actuate them to their respective operative positions, of latching means for engaging each of said switch members to retain them in their operative positions when they are not engaged by said actuatingmeans, and means controlled in accordance with line voltage for controlling said latching means.

7. in a controller, the combination with a plurality of switch members, of means comprising a plurality of cams and ashaft for carrying said cams having a plurality of positions for successively actuating said switch members to their respective operative positions, eachof said switch members being engaged by said actuating means while the latter occupies a single position, and latching means mechanically independent of said actuating means for retaining said switch members in said positions when the corresponding actuating meansis not in said single position. i

8. ln a controller, the combinationwith a plurality of switch members, of means comprising a plurality of cam members and a shaft for carrying said cam members having a plurality of positions for successively actuating said switch members to their re- (ill lltl

spective operative positions, each of said switch members beingengaged by said actuating'means while the latter occupies a single position, and latching means for retaining said switch members'in their operative positions after being released by the actuating I means.

members when the corresponding actuatingmember is in another than said one osition.

10. In a controller, the combination with a shaft of substantially hexagonal cross section, of a cam member carried thereby having an engaging portion that is displaced by an angle of or a multiple thereof when it is inverted relatively to said shaft.

11. In a controller, the combination with a shaft of polygonal cross section, of a cam member carried thereby having an engaging portion that is displaced by an angle which is one-half of that subtended by one side of the polygon when it is inverted relatively to said shaft. I

12. In a controller, the combination with a stationary part, of a movable part comprising a shaft of polygonal cross section and a plurality of cams carried thereby corresponding in number to the operative positions of said shaft, each of said cam members having an engaging portion that is displaced by an angle which is equal to that between the operative positions of the shaft when the cam member is inverted relatively to said shaft.

13. In a controller, the combination with a pair of switch members -movable in opposite directions about points of pivotal support to their respective closed positions, of means for preventing said switch members from occupying their closed positions simultaneously, said means comprising 1 a bar having a pin-and-slot connection to each of said switch members.

14 In a controller, the combination with a pair of switch members movable in op posite directions about points of pivotal support to their respective closed positions,

of a bar having a lost-motion connection to said switch members and of such length as to permit only one of said members to cocupy its closed position at any time.

15. In a controller, the combination with a pair of rows of switches arranged in staggered relation, and means whereby the space between the switches of each pair in one row may be utilized as an arc-chute in extinguishing the arc of the switch in the other row disposed oppositely to said space, of means for controlling said switches.

16. In' a controller, the combination with an actuating member, of a switch member comprising a pair of substantially similar bars spaced apart and pivotally supported and a member between said bars to be engaged by said actuating member.

17. In a controller, the combination with a switch having a movable member comprising a pair of substantially similar bars spaced apart, a contact member pivotally supported between said bars and meansfor pivotally supporting said bars, of means for actuating said switch member.

18. In a controller, the combination with a switch having a movable portion comprising a pivotally mounted member, and a contact element pivotally mounted thereon, and a spring for yieldingly retaining said contact element in one position relatively to said member and for retaining said member in its open position, of means for actuating said movable portion.

19. In a controller, the combination with a switch having a movable portion comprising a pivotally mounted member having a rearwardly projecting portion, said switch having also a stationary portion comprising a member for supporting the pivotally mounted member and for coacting with the rearwardly projecting portion to limit the outward movement of said movable portion, and a spring forretaining said movable portion in its open position, of means for actuating the movable portion to its closed position.

20. In a controller, the combination with a unitary mechanism comprising a stationary member, a movable switch member pivotally connected thereto, an electromagnet secured to said stationary member and a latching member controlled by said electro- 'magnet, of means for supporting said unitary mechanism and means for actuating said movable member.

21. In a controller, the combination with a casing having a pair of end plates, of four bars of rectangular cross-section for spacing said plates, said bars being arranged in pairs and the corresponding rectangular dimensions of the bars on each pair being arranged at right angles to each other, stationary contact members mounted upon the corresponding bars of each pair, movable contact members mounted upon said other bars, and a plurality of alined members for controlling said movable contact members.

'22. In a controller, the combination with a casing, of a pair of bars of rectangular neeaoee cross-section supported therein, the dimensions of said rectangles being arranged at right angles to each other, supporting members mounted on said bars, the supporting members on one of said bars being provided with stationary contact members, contact members pivotally secured to said other supporting members and means for actuating said movable contact members.

23. in a controller, the, combination with a pair of rows of switches, of controlling means therefor comprising a singlemovable member and aplurality of cam members carried thereby and means for accentuating said movable member comprising a notched member rotatable with said mov- HENRY D. JAMES. 

